


Taking a Break

by die_traumerei



Series: Castle Terra [9]
Category: Good Omens (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Human, Comfort, Crying, Cuddling & Snuggling, Disabled Aziraphale (Good Omens), F/F, Female-Presenting Aziraphale (Good Omens), Female-Presenting Crowley (Good Omens), Hurt/Comfort, Injury, Injury Recovery, Trans Crowley (Good Omens), Trans!Crowley
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-21
Updated: 2020-10-21
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:27:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,373
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27135235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/die_traumerei/pseuds/die_traumerei
Summary: ...when you've possibly broken something AZIRAPHALE.Set just a few days after the end of The Princess and the Librarian. Aziraphale has a rough day, but a friend helps her feel better. And then Crowley is a kind of loving, chaotic whirlwind, it’s great.(Chae fans, this one is for you!)(Originally written for Whumptober 2020)
Relationships: Aziraphale/Crowley (Good Omens)
Series: Castle Terra [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1801759
Comments: 4
Kudos: 30





	Taking a Break

“Oh, for the love of...” Aziraphale had dropped a whole sheaf of papers, trying to get them into her bag. For the _second time that day_.

It was a few days after Christmas and the castle was sleeping off its hangovers. Crowley had run off to irritate various people, being basically free of hangover herself, and very smug about it. And Aziraphale was bound and determined to get _some_ work done. It was a time of rest, she gathered, but she really was quite brand new to Castle Terra, and she did so want things to work out. So best to take what time she could to make everything right. To show how good she could be, how worthy she was of being a Maestra Librarian.

Especially since thus far, well, no matter _what_ Crowley had said, she'd mostly been trouble, she thought. Falling off a horse, just before Christmas! At least her work had been done, so that was all right, but she'd already needed the attention of the Maester Physician quite a few times, especially as her ankle proved more seriously sprained than it had seemed. It was awful, and she aimed to show she was worth keeping around.

Aziraphale sighed and shifted her weight, leaning on her crutches and glaring at the scattered papers. Perhaps if she was careful, she could lean over and pick them up, straight into the bag she wore. Then back to her desk where she'd put them in order, _then_ into her bag, so she could file them properly. She was getting decent at moving around the Library at least, hauling books and papers in her little bag, her arms aching from the work. But she was doing her job, so that was all right.

Aziraphale settled one crutch against a shelf and leaned over, curving her body down, keeping her bad ankle off of the ground – there was no chance it could bear any weight, not just yet, and she wondered again if she'd really only sprained it.

Well, at least she was getting more flexible. _That_ would pay off dividends, and she remembered Christmas night, Crowley between her legs, oh, it had been _delicious_. Still smiling, Aziraphale dropped down a few more inches, reaching for the papers....

Oh, _fucking hell_! Overbalanced, put her foot down without thinking, and landed her full weight on her hurt ankle, the breathtaking shock of pain sending her down to the ground with a thump on her bum, not able to do anything for a moment but cry out in pain.

“Ow, ow, oh ow...” She wrapped her hands around the splint and squeezed, trying to...do something about the pain, and burst into tears. Fucking papers, fucking ankle, fucking ugly bruises on her chest and her face and her body. Fucking ugly body, useless at her job, couldn't even file papers. She sat on the floor and sobbed, sick to death of everything.

And not hearing the door open, and someone come in.

“Maestra – _Aziraphale_ , honey, what happened?”

She looked up, ugly and red and snotty, and burst into tears anew. “Chae...”

“Oh, Aziraphale.” He moved to kneel next to her, avoiding the papers, this gentle man who smelled like horse and hay. “You poor dear. Come here.” He held out his arms and sure, she didn't know him that well, but he was her Crowley's best friend, he was _safe_. He had taken care of her when she was hurt, and visited her, and had happily squired her through Christmas when Crowley had to go off and be a Princess.

She coughed and cried harder once she was in his arms, and he rocked her and rubbed her back and good man that he was, let her cry herself out. It didn't take very long, at least. She was so bloody _tired_.

“What happened? Should I call the Maester Physician?” he asked, still concerned.

Aziraphale shook her head. “No, no, _please_ don't bother him.”

“You're not bothering him,” Chae said gently. “But I won't. What happened, dear heart?”

She smiled at the pet name, and laughed, and cried a little more. Softer now, though, and she could wipe the tears away with her hankie. “Oh, nothing really. I'm just having a day of it. I was trying to get a bit of work done, it being quiet now and all. I suppose I wore myself out a bit, going here and there to shelve books. It's a bit harder than usual, with the crutches and all.” She wiped her eyes again. She oughtn't complain. And she should keep working; it was her own fault she was hurt. “I'm sorry. I'm usually a bit better. Only I dropped a big sheaf of papers and lost my balance and fell on my bad ankle and it just...was a lot.”

“It sounds that way,” he said, all sympathy. “Aziraphale, you know you can take all the time you want to get better.”

She shrugged, and nodded, and looked down. “I know. Just. I'm new, and I want to...be good.”

“I get it,” he said softly, and she looked up, and they smiled at each other. “I really do. I was the same my first year here.”

“But you were with Crowley,” she protested. “Also, you're brilliant.”

“Could say the same about you,” he said, and she blushed. “Look. Crowley thinks you hang the moon but she doesn't get this, not quite. I don't say that to be mean, God knows she knows what it is to be thrown out of a place. But she's here by right of birth. You and me, we _worked_ our way here. So we want to keep working, yeah?”

Aziraphale nodded.

“I know it's hard to believe me,” Chae continued. “But it's really all right to take a little time off, to heal. Look, you got a bit done today, right?”

“Yes. I shelved some books that needed it,” Aziraphale said. “Ah, incidentally, did you need something?”

“I can't visit my friend because I want to?” Chae asked, and looked so sad for a moment she all but threw herself at him.

“Oh my God, of course you can! I'm so sorry, honey, I didn't mean – oi! Don't tease me!” she scolded when he laughed at her and hugged back.

“Getting an armful of you isn't discouraging me,” he teased. “Although I did have something for you, actually – got the breeding records for you. But I also wanted to see if you wanted tea.”

Aziraphale smiled, and it came naturally. “With you? Of course. Let me get your records filed--”

“Ah-ah,” he said, holding up a finger. “Conditions for tea. I help you up and settle you by the fire. I put the records and your papers on your desk _and_ you promise you won't work the rest of the day. Then I go to ask for tea to be sent up for us, and fetch you some ice. I won't send for the physician if you promise me you'll ice your ankle and keep it up and stay completely off your feet for the rest of today, as much as you can. Give your arms a break from the crutches, too. Deal?”

She ducked her head and couldn't stop a grin. “Deal. Thank you.”

“Also I'm safe from Crowley's depredations in here,” Chae said. “Kevin _probably_ won't drop her down a well.”

“Honestly, I wouldn't blame him,” Aziraphale admitted. “I'm so sorry to ask, but – can you help me up?”

Chae got her on her feet and sent her firmly over to settle by the fire, foot up on the pillows still stacked on the ottoman. She sat down and settled her crutches on the ground and tried not to moan with relief. She still ached, even if it was better than those first few days, and it felt amazing to simply rest by the fire.

Chae did as he'd promised, and she did as she'd promised, staying quietly by the fire until he returned with an oiled bag of ice for her ankle, and more for when that melted, plus the promise of tea on the way.

“Right, I promise I'm not working, but what kind of breeding _do_ you do here?” Aziraphale asked, feeling much revived. Her ankle still throbbed, but the ice was helping, and she'd have a friend to distract her. And she really _would_ take the day off – not least because she'd pretty well be useless. And Crowley would join her for supper, of course.

“You mean what kind of horseflesh are we trying to cultivate?” Chae asked, and grinned. “Unless you're that curious about the chickens?”

“Chickens are great. Chickens later,” Aziraphale said. “Horses first please, my dear.”

He bowed his head gently, and started to go into detail. “Really, the breeding program proper started about fifty years ago...”

And so Aziraphale spent a truly delightful afternoon, staying firmly planted in her chair and with good strong tea and cakes and a really lovely gab with Chae, only ending because he had to run to meet another friend.

“I'll collar Crowley and send her up?” he asked, and she sighed, and smiled.

“Would you, please? If only to keep her from being dropped down a well.” And she...missed her. She missed Crowley. She wanted a hug and a kiss and a cuddle, and to find out what she'd been up to and tell her about her own afternoon, dull as it was. Silly, but there you were. They were in love, they were allowed to be silly.

Chae winked at her. “Of course. Be well, Aziraphale. And please, _please_ take care of yourself? You're allowed to rest and heal, I promise. You're allowed a little time to just be.”

She looked down, fingers twisting. “I promise. I _am_ sorry. It can't be nice to come in and see, ah, a friend crying on the floor.”

“You don't have to apologise for having feelings. Or being over it all. It's hard, being hurt.” He hugged her, and kissed her cheek. “Rest, and let our Crowley spoil you rotten. I'll drop by and say hello again soon?”

“Please? I enjoyed this so very much.” Azirpahale hugged him back tightly. “It'll be a bit before I can even make it out to the yard, I think.”

“Poor lass. I'll give Aster an extra apple from you,” Chae promised, and one more hug, and he took his leave.

Aziraphale drew her shawl around her a little more closely. She wasn't cold as such, though the fire was starting to die down; more that she wanted to hold onto the feeling of being hugged. It had made her feel lovely.

She even dozed a little, and the fire died down to coals before Crowley blew in like a winter wind. There were probably still leaves swirling around her as she went through the great Library door and over to the fireside, the smell of winter air all about her. “Angel! Good God, you're going to turn into a block of ice!”

“I am not,” Aziraphale said, opening her eyes and smiling at her love. “Oh, you look breathtaking.”

Crowley kissed her soundly, her lips cold against Aziraphale's, and kissed her again, a little warmer this time. “You are the _silliest_ girl. Let me build up the fire for you. And oh, you need more ice, though goodness knows how it _melted_ , it's _bitter_ in here.”

Aziraphale smiled, still snuggled in her shawl. “I take it you saw Chae?”

“Mmmhmm. He needs to learn to give more details, I've been having tea with Colin for the last hour.” Crowley was kneeling by the fire, cloak and hood still on, and feeding it with abandon, blowing so it would flame up and begin to give off proper heat. “Thank heavens I got you to put your stocking on before the splint this morning, or you'd not have any toes left.”

Aziraphale laughed and wiggled said toes as her whirlwind girlfriend got her another bag of ice and settled it gently on her ankle. “Get in my lap, wench. You fuss too much.”

“I do not fuss _enough_ ,” Crowley informed her, but did climb into her lap, the two of them cuddled tightly in the easy chair. “Aziraphale, dove, he said you'd had a rough day.”

She smiled and kissed Crowley, glad her lips were warm again. “I did. Poor Chae, nothing was going right for me and he came in in the middle of it, with me sobbing my heart out. Got me back on my feet and gave me a talking-to, some tea and sympathy, and got me taken care of. I feel better, Crowley, really I do.”

“Good.” Crowley cupped Aziraphale's face in her hands and kissed her, soft, soft, tongue stealing between her lips, the kiss going deeper. “I love you. If you absolutely must work, I'll stay with you and help. You have enough to manage with that ankle of yours.”

“About that.” Aziraphale sighed. “I put weight on my foot, by accident. I think I might've made it worse.”

“Poor love.” Kisses now around her ear. “If it doesn't feel better tomorrow, we're calling the Maestro Physician. And _please_ , love, will you take it easy? Maybe even a day in bed?”

“Maybe,” Aziraphale allowed. “If I feel poorly in the morning.” She had her arms around Crowley's waist, and cuddled her even closer for a moment. “I really ought to spend the night here. But can I spend tomorrow in your bed? Please?”

“I'd like that very much,” Crowley murmured, nosing some loose curls at her temple. “My _beauty_. You poor darling. Really, Aziraphale, is there anything I can do?”

Aziraphale shook her head, and hugged Crowley tight. “You're doing it. Stay with me, hug me, love me. Tell me what you got up to today, darling?”

Crowley laughed and snuggled in Aziraphale's arms, now lit by a bright and merry fire, and began to recount her adventures, bringing the castle courtyard to life, all the things Aziraphale couldn't quite go do just yet – but maybe next Christmastide, when she was unhurt and up for an adventure. Running wild with Crowley sounded just the thing, really.


End file.
